THURSDAY, August 10, 2023
Donors deliver winter hay
TED CLARKE Citizen staff
The generosity of local entrepreneurs has taken much of the worry away from the operator of a nonprofit group that cares for surrendered farm animals. In response to a public plea for help to pay the cost of a truckload of horse hay, the Prince George Animal Rescue Society has received a $15,000 donation.
The money came from Canadian Tire Prince George store owner Selen Alpay and John Brink, owner of the Brink Group of Companies. They each provided $7,500, enough to buy a semi-trailer load of hay which will last the society through the winter.
“Now we don’t have to go into debt, so I’m happy about that,” said Nicola Redpath, who founded PG Animal Rescue 20 years ago. ‘”That was a real shocker. We put out a Facebook post out and they follow our page
and it just went from there.”
The cost of hay has more than doubled compared to last year’s prices. A province-wide drought has stunted crops and spiked demand for feed crops, especially horse hay that doesn’t have dirt or clover mixed in, which can prove harmful for horses.
The money will pay for a load of round bales from Kamloops and the square bales they need are coming from local growers.
palities. The index ranks the amount and seriousness of crime in a community, on a per capital basis, against an average score of 100. In 2022, the national average CSI score was 78.1 and the B.C. average was 100.37.
Prince George’s score was 207.5, followed by Richmond at 180.12, Victoria at 157.71, Kamloops at 156.7, and Kelowna at 150.74.
While Prince George remained the most crime-ridden big city in B.C. in 2022, the city saw its CSI score drop by nine per cent from 2021, when it stood at 227.54.
Prince George’s violent crime severity index was 220.81 in 2022, down from 242.14 in 2021. The city’s non-violent crime severity index was 203.3 in 2022, down from 223.63 in 2021.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Left, Selen Alpay, Nicola Redpath, and John Brink.
PGCITIZEN.CA
Bowling alley owner celebrates lung transplant
TED CLARKE Citizen staff
Bowling and snacks were half-price during the August long weekend at Nechako Bowling Lanes for the grand re-opening of one of the city’s oldest recreation facilities.
New owner Michael Giles was still putting the finishing touches on the eightlane five-pin bowling alley at 1665 Third Ave to prepare for a busy four days of pin-scattering action.
He spent the previous month renovating the place, opening up sightlines and giving it a new coach of paint inside and out.
He’s given Nechako Lanes a new lease on life, just as an unidentified donor gave to him a year ago in June when he underwent a double-lung transplant at Vancouver General Hospital.
He needed a new set of lungs after developing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which led to severe scarring and stiffening of his lungs.
It got to the point where he was unable to breathe without using 12-15 litres per day of bottled oxygen.
“I didn’t smoke, but I developed this condition which basically meant my lungs were going to concrete,” said Giles, a 62-year-old native of Melville, Sask.
“I tell people it is a gift with weight, it’s not a sad thing but pretty heavy when you think about it sometimes, to realize what has to happen for you to continue on,” he said.
“At the time of my surgery I had maybe two weeks left to go. My heart would have given out trying to pump the blood to oxygenate it.”
Giles worked 30 years in television production and moved to Prince George
One year after a double-lung transplant, Michael Giles is thriving as the new owner of Nechako Bowling Lanes.
in 2011 to try to find work as a helicopter pilot and ended up working in the TV studio at CKPG.
He expressed an interest in buying the bowling alley before COVID hit but the pandemic and his own health issues put that idea on hold.
He was undergoing treatment at G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre in Vancouver and had been on the transplant list for just three weeks when his doctor told him an anonymous donor had been found and he had the operation that day.
It took several months to recover from the 10-hour procedure.
Aside from tightness in his chest, 13 months after receiving his lungs, he’s feeling healthy enough to tackle running his own business.
Dementia event planned
According to the Alzheimer Society of B.C. nearly 3,000 people in the Prince George area live with the diagnosis. The society of B.C. wants to hear from them, and the people who care for them.
Jennifer Lyle, CEO of the Alzheimer Society of B.C., will be in Prince George on Tuesday, Aug. 15, to hear about the local experiences of dementia, alongside local
MLA Shirley Bond.
The event called Dementia in Prince George: A community dialogue takes place from 1 – 3 p.m. at the Elder Citizens Recreation Association, 1692 10th Ave.
People living with dementia, care partners, health-care providers and anyone whose lives have been affected by dementia are invited to share their insights.
something fun to do in my retirement ages,” said Giles.
“Bowling across Canada is on the rise. After COVID a lot of people were looking for things to do, especially indoor activities, and this is one of them. This bowling lane, being the oldest in Prince George, we have over 120 league bowlers, so it’s still doing quite well. My plan is to do this until I’m 75, sell everything and go traveling.”
Nechako Lanes was opened nearly 73 years ago on Nov. 8, 1950 by original owner Bill Jamieson when it was known as Jamieson Bowling and Recreation Hall.
A crowd of nearly 500 bowlers and Mayor Garvin Dezell turned out for the grand opening and Jamieson, a Rotarian, donated all the proceeds of opening day to the Prince George Rotary Club. Giles is leasing the building from owners Les and Cathy Wahlund with an operation to buy in three years.
“I bowl in the league here anyway, and it always interested me, and I wanted
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Giles teaches martial arts and plans to convert the basement and open it next year as the Northern Shotokan Karate Academy.
New rental housing opportunity in Prince George
BC Housing is now accepting rental applications for Quebec House, a brand-new building at 605 Quebec Street in Prince George.
36 unit s are available for move in star ting in September 1, 2023, providing rental housing for low- to moderate income earners. Quebec House will provide a mix of studio, one - and t wo -bedroom homes at market rent
Applications will be considered from current resident s of British Columbia with a preference given to those who work in Prince George or neighbouring communities.
Applications will be accepted until Aug 31, 2023.
Find out if you are eligible and how to apply at bchousing.org/quebec-street-house
NOTICE OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION
What: Public Consultation regarding Tabor Lake-Stone Creek Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 2157, Amendment Bylaw No. 3308, 2023.
Owner: Carolyn Sawatzky and Peter Sawatzky
Proposal: An application for combined Official Community Plan (OCP) and Zoning Bylaw Amendments has been made to recognize an existing vehicle dismantling/repair business which includes an accessory salvage/wrecking facility, and an accessory storage/warehouse use. Bylaw No 3308 proposes to redesignate a 7.4 ha area of the property from Light Industrial (L/IND) to Heavy Industrial (H/IND) and redesignate the remainder of the property (2.8 ha area) from Light Industrial (L/IND) to Agriculture/Resource (AG/RES). The OCP redesignation will support the rezoning of the existing vehicle dismantling/repair business area.
The subject property is Lot 1 District Lot 1959 Cariboo District Plan 13027 which is located at 15320/15270 Cariboo Highway
How can I provide comment? Anyone who believes that their interest in land is affected by the proposed Bylaw shall be afforded a reasonable opportunity to provide written comments regarding matters contained in the Bylaw All written comments must include the legible legal name of the author
Written comments will be accepted by the Regional District until 12:00 p.m. on Monday, September 11, 2023, and must be sent by:
Email: developmentservices@rdffg.bc.ca
Hand/Mail: Attention Development Services,155 George Street, Prince George, BC V2L 1P8 Fax: 250-562-8676
Any written submissions received will become public record, be posted on the RDFFG website, and form part of the public Board agenda. By submitting a comment, you are consenting to the disclosure of any personal information that you provide Personal information is collected and disclosed under the authority of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
Need more info? A copy of the proposed Bylaw and any relevant background materials are available for review by the public on the Regional District’s website at http://www.rdffg.bc.ca/services/ development/land-use-planning/current-applications/ or at the Regional District office, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., between August 8 and September 14, 2023. The Regional District office will be closed Monday, September 4, 2023. Appointments are preferred. For more information contact Daniel Burke, Planner III, at 250-960-4400
Input sought on city plan
ARTHUR WILLIAMS Citizen staff
The City of Prince George is launching its Civic Core District Plan process, to create a vision for the city’s properties in the area around city hall.
An in-person consultation session will happen at Canada Games Plaza on Aug. 11 from 11 a.m to 2 p.m. An online survey will also run from Aug. 11 to Sept. 15.
The subject area for the plan includes the Prince George Public Library Bob Harkins branch, Prince George Conference and Civic Centre, Two Rivers Gallery, city hall, Canfor Leisure Pool, Canada Games Plaza, Kopar Memorial Arena, Veteran’s Plaza and the vacant lots where the Four Seasons Leisure Pool and former Fire Hall No. 1 used to be.
“The Civic Core District Plan is a guide that defines the long-term vision for the municipal properties in the downtown area near the Prince George Conference and Civic Centre,” the city statement said. “It will have strategies, along with timelines, for how to enhance the area
while also meeting needs of those who live and work in the community.”
In addition to the public consultation, workshops with arts, sports, recreation and business groups started in July and will continue through August.
“There are several emerging priorities for downtown reinvestment associated with aging civic and community facilities, streetscape improvements, and utility infrastructure,” the city’s Civic Core District Plan web page says.
The Kopar Memorial Arena, located in the subject area, and the Prince George Playhouse and Studio 2880, located outside the area, are all nearing the ends of their useful lives.
The City of Prince George has $28.3 million set aside in the Fortis Reserve Fund, which could be used towards major capital projects in the Civic Core District Plan area. The funds came as a windfall at the end of a 17-year lease deal with FortisBC (formerly Terasen Gas).
In March 2022, city council voted to keep the funds in the reserve until additional consultation could be done.
LNG pipeline nears completion
Work on the Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline across northern B.C. was 91.4 per cent complete, as of June 30.
Work is done on three out of eight sections of the 670-kilometre pipeline from near Dawson Creek to Kitimat, according to an update released by TC Energy.
“To date, nearly 98 per cent of pipe has been welded and 92 per cent of all classified water crossings on the project are now complete. In addition, 639 km of the 670 km pipe has been installed and backfilled, with Section 6 being our third of eight sections achieving 100 per cent pipe installation in June,” the company statement said. “…Coastal GasLink is approximately 91 per cent complete overall and continues to be on track for construction completion by year end.”
As of June 30, 4,785 workers were employed by the
project, including 1,181 based at Parsnip Lodge, located near the unincorporated community of Anzac, 117 km northeast of Prince George.
Work on sections one, four and six is complete, and sections two, five and eight were 94 to 99 per cent complete as of the end of June. As of June 30, work on section three north of Prince George was 89 per cent complete and section seven near Houston was 69 per cent complete.
“Our summer construction season is in full swing as we move closer to mechanical completion by the end of 2023,” the company statement said. seeking Canada’s lower-carbon and secure LNG sources. Coastal GasLink, together with LNG Canada, will provide the first direct path for Canadian LNG to reach our allies and replace coal-fired power plants.”
RCMP officer fined for high-speed crash
MARK NIELSEN Citizen staff
A North District RCMP officer was fined $500 after pleading guilty to driving at an excessive speed under the Motor Vehicle Act in relation to a rearend collision on Highway 97 near Bear Lake that left a woman with extensive and long-lasting injuries.
According to an account read during a hearing, both Cst. Jay Barban and the woman were heading south on Highway 97 on the afternoon of Aug. 19, 2021.
Driving an unmarked police SUV, Barban, 38, was directly behind the woman’s
small compact car. Both were travelling at 125 km/h when just north of Bear Lake they came up to a crew painting lines in the middle of the highway. The woman applied her brakes and so did Barban but he was too close to prevent a collision.
The woman’s car was pushed into the ditch on the opposite side of the highway. Barban helped the woman up the bank and into his vehicle where they waited for an ambulance.
The woman was taken to hospital where she was examined and released with no visible signs of injury and the Independent Investigations Office was not initially notified as a result. But
the woman’s condition took a turn for the worse and when she subsequently lodged a complaint, an investigation was launched eight months later.
By mid-September 2022, a count of driving without due care under the MVA was approved against Barban. The count carries a minimum fine of $100 but Barban pleaded guilty to excessive speed which carries a minimum $167 fine and entered the plea without an arraignment the court was told. Barban was also issued three demerit points on his driver’s licence and the RCMP placed a negative citation on his performance record.
Barban accepted that he failed to
provide enough room to safely stop, including in the event that the lead driver makes an emergency stop, the court was told.
During the hearing, Barban was described as a valued and highly-qualified member of the North District detachment. Barban, who took the hearing in via videoconferencing, apologized. “I really do feel bad about it,” he said.
The outcome held no solace for the woman. Barely able to walk, she needed a cane and help from friends as she inched her way into the courtroom.
She said she is unable to work and has run into serious financial trouble.
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More local residents working, data shows
A thousand more people were working in Prince George in July than in June, according to data released by Statistics Canada.
Roughly 49,500 people were working in the city in July, up from 48,500 the month before.
The city’s unemployment rate stayed steady at 8.8 per cent, as roughly 1,100 working-age people entered the workforce.
The city’s labour force participation rate, the percentage of working-age adults working or actively seeking work, increased to 64.4 in July – up from 63.3 per cent in June.
Prince George’s job market is markedly down, compared to a year ago. In July 2022 there were roughly 56,100 people working in the city, the unemployment rate was 5.4 per cent and the labour force participation rate was 71.6 per cent.
There were roughly 4,800 people seeking work in Prince George in July, compared with 3,200 in July 2022.
Prince George’s unemployment rate last month was higher than the B.C. (5.4 per cent) and national (5.5 per cent) averages.
“Earlier today, Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey reported that B.C.’s economy is holding steady this
month with a 4,100 increase in full-time jobs and a 5,700 decrease in part-time jobs, reflecting the effects of the Bank of Canada’s interest rate hikes across the country. B.C. continues to add full-time jobs to its economy, with all of B.C.’s job growth so far this year in full-time jobs for a total 32,500 in 2023,” B.C. Jobs Minister Brenda Bailey said.
“While British Columbians and local economies are experiencing the stresses of global inflation, interest rate hikes, wildfire, droughts and supply chain disruptions, we’re continuing to support people and businesses now and for the future.”
Overdose death accidental, jury finds
A coroner’s inquest jury is recommending a body similar to B.C.’s civilian-based police watchdog be established for municipal cell guards in answer to the overdose death of a former Prince George woman while in police custody.
The jury found the death of Samantha Nicole Patrick was accidental and issued five recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future.
Among them, the jury urged the Minister of Public
Safety and Solicitor General create an independent oversight body similar to the Independent Investigations Office to oversee, investigate and hold accountable municipal cell guards, including those working in cells at RCMP detachments. The jury also recommended the ministry upgrade and standardize training for municipal cell guards in relation to first aid, administering naloxone and managing aggressive behaviour.
Patrick died on hospital on May 12, 2018, five days
Angus Projec t
Invitation to Comment
after she found not breathing while in Surrey RCMP holding cells where she had been detained after being arrested on three outstanding warrants.
An investigation found Patrick concealed a packet of drugs including fentanyl and went into medical distress after appearing to ingest the drugs while in her cell.
The jury also recommended that Allouette Correctional Centre for Woman receive detainees seven day per week.
August 10 to S eptember 11 August 10 to eptember 11
Vitreo M inerals Ltd. is proposing an open-pit silica sand mine nor th of Prince George, for use in natural gas produc tion.
The EAO is holding a public comment period on the Initial Projec t Description, which outlines major components of the projec t and anticipated effects on the environment and human activities.
Learn more about the projec t and tell us what is impor tant to you:
August 22, 2023
gov.bc.ca/EAOPublicComments gov.bc.ca/EAOPublicComments 4:00pm - 8:00pm PDT
Online Info Session
5:00pm to 7:00pm PDT August 29, 2023 You
In-Person Open House Register at: gov.bc.ca/EAOPublicComments
Bear Lake Community Hall 461 Har t Lake Road, Bear Lake, B.C.
Downtown rental units available next month
ARTHUR WILLIAMS Citizen staff
BC Housing is offering 36 units of market-rate rental housing at a new apartment building in downtown Prince George.
Residents will be able to move into Quebec Street House, located across from the Canfor Leisure Pool, starting Sept. 1, according to BC Housing’s website. The building will offer studio, 1- and 2-bedroom units for low-and-middle-income households.
“BC Housing, through the Affordable Rental Housing Program, is working to
increase the supply of rental housing for low to middle income households across British Columbia,” the BC Housing site says.
“Monthly rents at Quebec House have been set below comparable market rents in the area.
“Under the Affordable Rental Housing Program, units must be rented to households with income below an established limit.
“Households must also demonstrate an ability to pay established market rents.”
Residents looking to move into the studio or 1-bedroom units must have an
annual income of $82,310 or less to be eligible.
For two-bedroom units, the maximum annual income is $128,810.
The monthly rent for two-bedroom units is between $1,050 and $1,300 per month, plus $80 for parking and BC Hydro.
Studio units rent for $800 to $875 per month, and one-bedroom units $825 to $900 per month, plus $80 for parking and BC Hydro.
“There are no subsidies available,” the BC Housing site says.
“However, some households may be eligible for assistance with their rent
through other BC Housing programs, such as Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) or Rental Assistance Program (RAP).”
Developer PRP Holdings Ltd. started construction of the project, but listed the building for sale on Feb. 11 for $15.9 million before final work was completed.
The project suffered several delays and was the subject of a legal dispute between PRP Holdings Ltd. and two drywall companies.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
POLITICIANS NEED TO GET BACK TO BASICS
This letter is written in regards to the city hiring an Ottawa company, Crestview Strategy Inc., to “shift our perception” of the “downtown unhoused population.”
The province of BC is funding this initiative to the tune of $110,750.
Brainwash the citizens; this will correct the situation.
How about we need effective treatment centres, not safe injection sites.
Once we have them in place, we need to go back to keeping small amounts of illicit drugs illegal with the consequence of doing them ending one up in treatment programs.
We also need to go back to manufacturing for our own needs in Canada and repairing our appliances from parts that we make here.
People need respectable jobs so that they have a place in society, can support themselves and their families and are genuinely needed.
If government would get itself out of our personal lives, pushing their leftist ideologies and rather take care of encouaging small business for manufacturing and national transportation, and keep unions in the business of supporting their members jobs and safety on the job rather than politics, we might make some headway and a life for many young people that are ending up on our streets.
We acknowledge the financial support of the government of Canada.
Nous reconnaissons l’appui financier du gouvernement du Canada.
NEIL GODBOUT EDITORIN-CHIEF CURTIS ARMSTRONG PUBLISHER
cls@pgcitizen.ca
PUBLISHER 250-960-2757
carmstrong@pgcitizen.ca
READER SALES AND SERVICES
250-562-3301
rss@pgcitizen.ca
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR letters@pgcitizen.ca
WEBSITE FEEDBACK
digital@glaciermedia.ca
Dorothy Reimer Prince George
Cariboo Rocks the North needs fixing
The city-owned Cariboo Rocks the North event is just around the corner and I’ve got some questions.
According to the contract,, which was only made public this year, the city provides everything, from the bands to the lighting to the janitorial staff.
But we gave Pacific Western Brewery (PWB), the makers of Cariboo beer, exclusive pouring rights, exclusive non-alcohol sales, 160 weekend passes, and all the naming and branding privileges, as well as the right to run the event as it sees fit.
The city gets $25,000 from PWB for all of this.
While PWB wins pretty big as far as getting their name in the spotlight and getting a lot of their beer sold (I wonder what those numbers are?), the biggest
THE BACK STORY
JAMES STEIDLE
contributor to this annual festival - the Prince George taxpayer - is pretty much ignored.
Instead the glory goes to a private company and more particularly Prince George city councillor Kyle Sampson, who manages all aspects of the event and happens to work for PWB as a salesman and marketer.
I don’t have anything against Sampson. I don’t really agree with his politics but he’s a likeable guy with a knack for promoting good things in this city.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t fix up
this deal moving forward.
The contract says PWB, and I’m assuming Kyle Sampson, gets 160 weekend passes, at $198 per ticket, equivalent to $32,000 in tickets, to give away. Plus there are VIP passes, the value of which I don’t know.
This is kind of weird.
There are no requirements in the contract for oversight or accountability as to who gets these freebees.
The way I see it, these tickets are ultimately a taxpayer resource and it appears a sitting city councillor gets to use this resource for the benefit of his personal, political and professional brand.
And that’s not right.
Coun. Sampson recently made a post giving away some tickets that he claims he purchased with his own money, like he
Africa’s greatest resource is its people
Sports fans in Canada have noticed a huge increase in the presence of sports betting sponsorship, whether it be commercials, sportscasters giving the odds of every aspect of the game, or garish signs in stadiums.
The 2023 Women’s World Cup was disappointing for Canada and for several other perennial soccer powerhouses. Two other top 10 teams, Germany and Brazil, did not make it out of the group stage.
Several other elite teams did not advance, and four-time World Cup Champions, the United States, were knocked out early in the elimination round.
This does not mean that any of these teams were lacking in talent or determination.
It means that we underestimated the teams from other parts of the world, especially from Africa.
Due to a global attitude of sexism, the history of the women’s tournament is much more recent than that of the Men’s World Cup.
The first official Women’s World Cup did take place until 1991. For decades, the sport was dominated by teams from wealthy countries.
The United States won four World Cups, Germany won two, and Japan and
LESSONS IN LEARNING
GERRY CHIDIAC
Norway each won one.
Canada’s best finish was fourth place in 2003.
What is striking in this year’s World Cup is that three of the four teams from Africa made it through the group stage to the round of 16.
They include South Africa, Morocco, and Nigeria.
Before the tournament, Nigeria was ranked 40th in the world, South Africa was ranked 54th, and Morocco was ranked 72nd.
Perhaps this simply means that the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), soccer’s global governing body, is terrible at ranking women’s teams.
Regardless, the performance of African teams in this year’s World Cup should not be such a surprise.
I moved to Africa in the early 1990s, and one of my jobs was to help organize sports activities for children and youth in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
has done “every year.”
I don’t remember him saying he purchased those giveaway tickets with his own money in previous years, but I’ll take his word on that.
That doesn’t mean as a city you should give sweetheart deals like this to one particular brewery in town when we have many of them.
I certainly hope we didn’t do that because an influential city councillor works for that brewery.
I think moving forward a rebrand that spotlights the city, makes free tickets and VIP giveaways a little more transparent, and opens up the local beer sales would be better for the event, better for the city, better for other breweries in town, and better for Kyle Sampson.
James Steidle is a Prince George writer.
I had done similar work in North America, but the first thing that struck me was how unbelievably good the Congolese were at soccer.
They grew up playing barefoot, playing wherever there was an open piece of ground.
They kicked anything that could pass for a ball, even a bunch of plastic bags with a string wrapped around them. They were fast, they were fit, and they played with a passion I had never seen before.
It seemed to me that a neighbourhood group of kids could have run circles around any team of the same age group I had seen elsewhere.
I was convinced that the only reason why Africa did not dominate the soccer world was because communities like Kinshasa simply lacked sports infrastructure.
Much has changed since the early 1990s.
For one, the women’s game has grown exponentially.
What the African teams playing in this year’s World Cup are showing us is what happens when Africans, especially African women, are given good coaching and a relatively organized program.
This lesson, however, extends far
beyond soccer.
Africa’s greatest resource is not its oil, its minerals, or its forests.
It is its people.
Africa was pillaged for centuries and the riches of the continent built many of the great cities of Europe.
The exploitation continues to this day as foreign mining companies pay workers a pittance to pull resources out of the ground while they pay off criminals willing to bleed their own people.
The way that we continue to treat Africans is not only a crime against humanity but also a waste of tremendous human potential.
Still, Africans refuse to play the victim. Those who have explored the continent with their eyes open have seen extraordinary industriousness, ingenuity, and resourcefulness.
To this very day, I have never worked with wiser, more dedicated, or more effective educators than my Congolese coworkers.
The success of the African teams playing in this year’s World Cup is not a fluke. It is an example of what people will achieve when they are given something that begins to resemble a level playing field.
Gerry Chidiac is a Prince George writer.
City’s entertainment calendar filling up
TED CLARKE Citizen staff
Back in May CN Centre entertainment manager Glen Mikkelsen was lamenting the lack of tour musicians and other entertainers on the local concert circuit.
Citing the cost of travel, the high U.S. dollar exchange rate, the 15 per cent refundable Canadian tax on touring artists, and a shortage of skilled production technicians, it was looking like a long dry season devoid of touring artists and Mikkelsen was scratching his head trying to find a way to fill the empty calendar of the 5,971-seat arena adjacent to his office at Exhibition Park.
Now, 2 ½ months later, that Prince George event calendar is looking a lot more full.
“I think it’s just timing, the acts were just kind of waiting to make a decision on if the economic climate seems ready to go back on the road and those decisions were made and we’re just fortunate to be included in some of those decisions,” said Mikkelsen.
“There’s still some hesitancy for some artists who might need to go on the road and for more things to keep coming to Prince George, people just need to support them.”
The turnstiles will be turning this weekend with the fourth annual Cariboo Rocks the North, which features 11 bands over three days.
April Wine, Chilliwack, Streetheart, Sass Jordan and Powder Blues Band will be part of the classic rock lineup that starts next Friday afternoon at 4:30 in the CN Centre parking lot.
On Wednesday, Sept. 13, Bryan Adams, one of the biggest names in Canadian music history, returns to Prince George for the first time since November 2016.
The Vancouver rocker’s biggest single, Everything I Do (I Do It For You) topped the charts in least 19 countries and songs like Run to You, Summer of ’69 and Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman have made him rich and famous. Tickets for his CN Centre are
approaching sellout status.
“He’s in Western Canada and then he’s off to South Africa -he’s gone all the world and people can’t take it for granted he’ll come to Prince George because he’s from Vancouver,” said Mikkelsen. “He’s an international artist and we’re lucky to have him.”
mark on their Ocober calendar.
On Sunday, Oct 15, Dean Brodie will perform at Vanier Hall, followed on Friday the 20th by Brett Kissell, also at Vanier.
Then on Wednesday, Sept. 27, Steel Panther, a comedic glam metal band from Los Angeles known for its profane and humourous lyrics, will make its first Prince George appearance.
On Friday, Oct. 13, Billy Talent will bring its brand of made-in-Mississauga punk/ alternative/pop rock to the CN Centre stage, with special guest GOB.
Country music lovers have two dates to
On Monday, Nov. 13, roots/retro rockers The Glorious Sons, the Juno Awards’ choice for album of the year in 2018 and 2020 visit Prince George for the first time from their home base in Kingston, Ont. For live comedy fans (and who isn’t), PG’s own Alex Mackenzie is bringing his Hungry For Laughs tour to the big arena after planting the seed in previous years at the P.G. Playhouse and P.G. Civic and Convention Centre on Saturday, Nov. 18. Mikkelsen has at least two more shows for the fall he’s just about to announce and there’s more to come.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Brett Kissell returns to Prince George on Oct. 20th for a show at Vanier Hall.
Docu-series grant awarded
Born and raised in Prince George, content creator Sara Jones has received a $10,000 grant from the Telus STORYHIVE Voices program to create a new docu-series.
She first heard about the STORYHIVE program through a friend who’d also received a grant and hired her to help out with the project he was working on.
“He kind of encouraged me to apply for myself, because I mentioned that had a few stories that I wanted to share that didn’t really have the means to do so,” said Jones.
Jones said growing up she knew she was Indigenous, but didn’t really know what that meant culturally.
“My mom was actually a 60s Scoop baby and both of her biological parent were residential school survivors. So, there’s a lot of these issues from indigenous perspectives that have impacted my family and that I never really thought about,” explained Jones.
“But now that I’m older, and I have more knowledge I can kind of question things more. I’m finding a lot more information about my family that I didn’t really know about. It’s kind of opening up a lot of doors for myself, like personal growth wise and just connecting with my culture.”
She said she wants to share the story of her family’s experience, her own personal growth, and the issues she
faces as an Indigenous person in Prince George.
“I really wanted to shed some light on current issues and talk about things like generational trauma, and how that impacted my life and a lot of people’s lives and how those issues are still very real, and how a lot of us Indigenous individuals and communities are still dealing with these issues.”
She says she hopes her docu-series will help provide understanding and help people see these issues from an Indigenous perspective.
Jones said she will be creating 150 minutes of content which she plans to divide into five or six 30 minute episodes which will be available on TELUS Optik and other social media platforms in 2024.
She is currently in the phase of connecting with mentors from STORYHIVE and will begin production in September.
Jones said she hopes this opportunity will allow her to showcase what she is capable of as a filmmaker and it will hopefully open more doors for her to keep continuing on this career path.
Jones also adds that she encourages anyone who is interested in film making to pursue these opportunities.
“I always kind of felt like I didn’t have enough professional skills to pursue a grant like this or even apply,” said Jones.
Locally sourced in BC
Sprout Kitchen Spent-Grainola!
For related stories, go to pgcitizen.ca
to table foods for their family, and those around them! Their cattle are grass fed and finished, free range and no antibiotic animals They keep their snacks clean with no added pork, MSG, wheat or gluten and work with their butcher to come up with recipes that include Bragg’s Aminos instead of Soy Sauce for some of the recipes
Sprout Kitchen is a small-scale food processing and innovation hub that has a physical location in Quesnel! This granola is made from the leftover grain after the brewing process, they source the local grain from the Barkerville Brewery right in Quesnel! Combined with nuts, oats, seeds, fruit, and more it creates a delicious and healthy granola!
Wild Mountain Chocolate is a small batch bean to bar chocolate that is created locally in Invermere! Keeping it simple, using only cocoa bean and sugar, they know where, how, and when the cocoa beans were picked and by who! The origin can be traced, all of which are from organic, sustainable farms from some of the worlds greatest cacao producing countries
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Air attack essential to fighting wildfires
TED CLARKE Citizen staff
Out of necessity, British Columbia has become one of the world leaders in fighting wildfires.
B.C. might well stand for Beyond Crispy if not for the B.C. Wildfire Service and its six regional fire centres that coordinate all of the province’s forest fire suppression efforts to utilize strategies the service has developed over its 121-year history,
Because our forests are so thick and inaccessible from the ground, the province relies on aerial firefighting to keep fires from growing into huge monsters that consume everything in their path and that job of conducting aerial attacks has become more challenging in recent years due to hotter weather, lower humidity, longer and smokier fire seasons and an ever-present amount of fuel to feed fires.
Michael Benson knows as well as anyone in the province what it’s like to stare into the mouth of a fiery forest beast and turn on the extinguisher.
Prior to joining Conair Aerial Firefighting in April as the company’s the director of business development he spent 17 years flying with the BC Wildfire Service as an air attack officer. For seven of those years he led the provincial air tanker program and he says that despite the increasing threat of wildfires the province is in good hands.
“From my perspective, British Columbia has the most advanced air tanker program in the world and the power of the fleet is immense,” said Benson, from his base in Abbotsford. “We have a lot of
modern airplanes, a lot of speed, it’s quite an amazing fleet. Most people in B.C. just don’t know how fortunate we are to have such a mighty fleet and a competent wildfire agency that is managing the fleet.”
Conair has 70 firefighting aircraft, 29 of which are based in B.C., and is the world’s largest privately-owned fixed-wing aerial firefighting fleet, operating in Canada the U.S., Australia and France.
Benson says other provinces are having to catch up to B.C.’s firefighting equipment and labour force capacity. Fire season started earlier this year in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and more countries are facing similar wildfire battles brought on by climate change.
“One of the characteristics of this year is it wasn’t just B.C. that was busy, much of Canada was busy at the same time and
that creates some real challenges in that resources are shared across Canada,” said Benson. “Because the demand was so high nationally it was difficult for any agency to free up their resources and help another agency.
“We have been lucky that in the USA it’s been an unusually slow season for them this year, so there has been some added capacity for them to come up to Canada that in a normal season would not have been there.”
Five of the most destructive fire seasons ever in B.C. have happened in the past 10 years and with hotter summers and drier air fires are now burning more intensely. Up to 2014 land-based tankers worked alongside helicopters as the go-to aerial resource for the BCWS, dumping loads of retardant onto the forest creating a retardant perimeter that slowed the
flames, allowing ground firefighters time to create containment lines. The bright red colour enables pilots the ability to see the line from the air tagging each drop onto the next to ensure no spaces for fire to escape through. The mixture of water, phosphates and gum thickener sticks to the trees and ground cover and retains its fire suppression properties for days until it rained.
But hotter temperatures, lower humidity, longer periods of drought, high winds and an abundance of dry fuel create extreme wildfires, allowing spot fires to jump containment lines and that prompted BCWS to adopt a balanced-fleet approach to aerial firefighting that utilizes a variety of aircraft types and sizes.
Amphibious waterbombers that swoop down to lakes or rivers to take in water are now used alongside land-based tankers loaded with retardant. The skimmers fly directly over the fire to dump their suppressant (water and foam) on the flames while the land-based tankers skirt the outer edges of the fire with retardant to create containment lines. Once those lines are complete, the land tanker is free to go to another fire, while the water bombers continue to dump water to cool the forest for ground crews.
“Those waterbombers and the landbased air tankers work very well together in harmony, so for that reason it’s not uncommon to get 10 or 12 airplanes on one fire,” said Benson. “The BCWS will move these assets around the province as they see fit and will do that throughout the day. You may start your day in Kamloops and end your day in Fort St. John, having already been to Vancouver Island. The aircraft are that quick and nimble.”
DEIGHTON WILKINSON PHOTO
An Avro RJ85 land-based tanker owned by Conair Aerial Firefighting of Abbotsford drops its load of retardant on a forest fire.
Firefighters look back on forest fire battles
TED CLARKE Citizen staff
Cole Paciejewski didn’t hear it over the sound of his chainsaw, but his co-worker saw it coming and let out a yell.
Paciejewski had just enough time to jump out of the way as a huge spruce fell to ground, inches away from crushing him.
It can happen any day, any time for the brave souls fighting fires for the BC Wildfire Service. As a certified tree faller with 12 years of forest firefighting experience that was Paciejewski’s job as a crew leader until he was hired by the city as a member of Prince George Fire Rescue a few months ago.
He knows how close he came to escaping death that day near Bear Lake and it serves as a reminder of the inherent danger that comes with fighting wildfires. Devyn Gale was not so lucky. The 19-year-old died July 13 when she was hit by a falling tree while clearing brush near a small fire close to Revelstoke.
“You never know when that stuff’s going to come down,” said the 29-year-old Paciejewski. ”That’s probably one of the scariest things you have to do is fall sketchy trees, especially when you’re that far away from any hospitals.”
Danger tree falling is considered one of the most dangerous occupations in Canada and Paciejewski often had to cut down trees that were burning.
“Before it’s safe for people in an area to go in and work you have to get a certified danger tree assessor to go in there and say which ones are dangerous and then a faller has to come in and fall them to make the area safe,” he said.
“My understanding was that someone was working with a chainsaw to cut a trail into the fire and (Gale) was a swamper following up behind the chainsaw getting all the debris off the trail and think a freak tree came down and landed on her.”
Eric Lane had his share of scary moments in the nine years he worked with the Prince George Fire Zone initial attack crew. In 2015, his first summer, working the Little Bobtail Lake fire southwest of Prince George in 2015, Lane and his crew of four were caught by surprise. Firefighters always try to maintain two escape routes but there was only one way out that day and they had no choice but to pile into their trucks and run a terrifying gauntlet to get to a safety.
“There were some radio communication challenges as we normally have in the summer and I guess there was miscommunication and nobody had any idea where I was at the time,” said Lane. “There was a tactical (evacuation) and somehow we got cornered in with fire all around us and we ended up driving several kilometres on this little first service road with fire on either side. It looked like hell.
“We got very lucky, we had our air conditioning on but
Cole Paciejewski, third from left, and Eric Lane, far right, worked together for years for the BC Wildfire Service with a Prince George-based initial attack crew. They were part of this crew, along with Chris Thalman, far left, and Jacob Weaver, second from left, that was sent to fight fires in Oregon in 2020.
we could smell it and all the paint had burnt off the side of the trucks. We got out and hosed them down because they were smoking and steaming. It was something right out of movie.”
Wildfire workers during fire season are sometimes deployed to other provinces or countries and in 2020
Lane and Paciejewski were sent to Oregon to help the state deal with a rash of fires, where they saw things there they’d never encountered in B.C.
In some of the towns they drove through, houses on either side of the street were leveled by fires.
‘Fire seasons keep getting worse and worse’
Continued from page 13
“It was eye-opening for us to go to the States because it seemed like such a normal occurrence for them,” said Lane. “That Oregon fire rolled through a bunch of towns and there was nothing left. That’s their reality come summertime.”
Lane and Paciejewski were sent to Fort McMurray in May 2016 to help fight the fire that destroyed nearly 2,400 homes and buildings, but at no other time did they see a Canadian town wiped out by a wildfire.
“I think fire seasons keep getting worse and worse,” said Paciejewski. “If you look back on the 10 worst fire seasons in Canadian history we worked a lot of them, in 2014, 2017, 2018, 2021 and now 2023, that’s five of the worst all within the last 10 years.”
Both used their forestry background to get their feet in the door as city firefighters. Lane joined the fire department a year ago, following in the footsteps of his father John, who served as PGFR chief from 2011-13. More than half the 120 members in fire suppression at PGFR are former forestry service firefighters.
“It’s a wonderful way to spend a summer,” said Lane, 32. “You get lots of translatable skills and the whole team environment and get a hand in putting some wet stuff on hot stuff.”
For Paciejewski, the seed was planted in a Grade 10 class at D.P. Todd Secondary when he found out about firefighting careers. He started in the junior firefighting program as one of five high school students who trained for months leading into the summer fire season. From that point he was hooked.
Both are adrenaline junkies who thrived on the challenge of putting out fires, saving infrastructure or people’s homes and keeping our forests from looking like moonscapes.
Looking back on his wildfire career, Paciejewski says it’s easy to remember his worst day. It happened in late June 2021, during the heat dome that enveloped the province, producing 43 C heat to a fire line he was working near Fort Nelson.
“It was the hottest day of the heat dome and I had to work a 16-hour day up there and we had to cut a trail with a chainsaw into the fire and it took me 12 hours,” he said. “I drank 30 bottles of water, I think,
and didn’t use the washroom once. I was just completely drenched (in sweat) the entire day. I’ve never worked so hard.”
In 2017, they were working the Plateau Complex fire west of Quesnel near Nazko where Paciejewski saw something awe inspiring.
“We got pulled off the fire because it wasn’t safe to work on the fire, it was so aggressive,” said Paciejewski. ““There was a lot of dead pine trees and they start piling up 10 feet high, there was so much fuel to burn.
“It went for a 20-kilometre run and it put so much smoke up into the air it was actually the smoke that was shooting off
lightning and starting new fires. I’d heard about pyrocumulonimbus clouds but that was only time I’d actually seen it.”
As part of the initial attack crew, Paciejewski and Lane were often dealing with small fires in remote locations accessible only by helicopter. Their first aid training focused on getting the patient stabilized and packaged for air transport to the hospital, but serious accidents were rare.
Now as members of the city firefighting force their job description has changed radically and they’re trained to fight structure fires and save people and buildings rather than trees. In the first five months of this year, medical calls made
up 63 per cent of emergency calls to the Prince George fire halls.
All city firefighters are certified as Emergency Medical Responders, one level below that of a Primary Care Paramedic. Seeing their medical interventions as first responders have a direct impact on lives is an element of the job Lane especially likes.
“BC Wildfire was very rewarding, that you were able to help a whole place, but you were just one little cog,” said Lane. “Whereas this job you can be on an engine of four people and you four are making drastic change to a small population within Prince George itself.”
BC WILDFIRE SERVICE PHOTO
Fueled by pine beetle-killed trees, the Little Bobtail Lake fire caught Eric Lane and his BC Wildfire Service initial attack crew by surprise in May 2015, which led to a terrifying escape through the burning forest on a narrow logging road.
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HOROSCOPES
ARIES
You’ll be in the spotlight this week. You’ll lead a group that defends your community You’re charismatic and mportant to the people around you. This could boost your self-esteem
TAURUS
If you have children, you’ll spend a lot of time getting ready for back-to-school season. You could decide to move or tackle a major home renovation. If you’re single, you fall in love at first sight.
GEMINI
You won’t be afraid to speak your mind and will say out oud what others are thinking. This will draw attention to your opinions. You’ll find the necessary solutions to get out of a difficult financial situation.
CANCER
At work, you’ll be courted by the competition and receive an offer that’s hard to refuse. You’ll have to do a lot of run -ning around for a family member In love, someone in your circle of friends could make a statement that leaves you perplexed
LEO
A new job or life is taking shape. Your dreams are finally coming true! You’ll be most excited about the new oppor -tunities that come your way In love, life will put someone very romantic in your path.
VIRGO
If your energy levels are low, brew a second cup of coffee before starting your workday If your health is fragile, you’ll find the right treatments to improve your quality of life. Str can be a source of momentary energy
LIBRA
You have no choice but to tackle the obstacles in front of you and overcome the pitfalls. You’ll have to negotiate with many people at the same time, which could prove stressful. You’ll make new friends and expand your social networks.
SCORPIO
At work or elsewhere, you’ll have to deal with constant emergencies. Everything is falling behind. Someone close to you will help you take a step back If you’re in a relationship, you must establish common goals to secure your future together
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
Major projects often cause anxiety Perseverance is the key to success. Don’t be afraid of change; it’s good for you. If your emotions are running high, simmer down by taking a step back.
AQUARIUS
Before making a decision that will affect several people, consult them and get their consent. At work, you’ll reach a profitable agreement after long negotiations.
PISCES
It’s time to take care of yourself. If you change certain habits, you’ll feel more energized, and your love for life will be contagious. You must improve your health; your doctor will tell you what you need to do.
You’ll have fun organizing an interesting getaway in nature. You must take some time off. Make sure you prepare in advance to make this adventure possible and create unforgettable memories with your loved ones.
A celebration of life for Dennis Smaaslet will be held on Saturday, August 12th from 11AM until 2PM. It is located between between 27575 and 27505 N Ness Lake road (look for the sign). This event is for Dennis’ friends, family and coworkers. Please come out to share food and stories about Dennis.
To
Brody (Kasha),
(Dot),
his mother
Namie and Kathy
(Shane),
Ange (Mike), and cousins Brennan and Alandra. Ty was predeceased by his great-grandparents Barna and Janse and his great uncle Robert Lichacz
Ty had a beautiful soul. We will always remember his big heart and huge smile.
A Memorial Service will be held at Assman’s Funeral Chapel on Friday, August 11, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. followed by an interment at Memorial Park Cemetery
Your life was a blessing; your memory a treasure You are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure. You are forever my shining light. Love Mom
Dennis Smaaslet
REMEMBRANCES
Eugene (Gene) Joseph Gratton
1933 - 2023
Eugene (Gene) Joseph Gratton left his family & friends July 18, 2023, in Keremeos, 90 years to the day he was born in 1933. Dad was determined to celebrate his special birthday with his family, even enjoying some of his birthday cake. He peacefully passed away hours later, surrounded by his brother George, and children Shirli Gene, Terri Lee and Darryl.
Gene was born in Edam Sask, the 9th of 13 children to John and Marie-Jeanne and moved to Prince George in 1949. He had a successful logging career in and around the area but predominantly in Mackenzie and retired to Armstrong in 2000 to enjoy his love of golfing. He is lovingly remembered by his children, Shirli Gene (Richard) Sadowick, Terri Lee (Mike) Rollings, Darryl (Fran) Gratton, stepchildren Patricia (Norm) Dowler, Debbie (Ivan) Cross, Brian (Christine) DeCoteau and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren, brother George (Inie) Gratton and sister Louise Madsen, and the two loves of his life, Shirley Gratton and Loretta DeCoteau. Our dad loved to dance and listen to old time country music. He was loving, kind, softhearted, easy going and enjoyed teasing everyone. His passion for horses started at an early age when he saved his beloved horse Dolly by bottle feeding her. Dad enjoyed good food, anything chocolate, raspberries, golfing and being outside in the sunshine.
We know you’ve gone ahead… waiting for us with open arms!
A celebration will be held for family & friends next year in Prince George, on his birthday July 18, 2024, when he will be laid to rest with his mom in the Memorial Park Cemetery.
Donations can be made to the Gratton Family Endowment Fund Prince George Community Foundation or the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation. Condolences may be shared with the family by visiting www.hansonsfuneral.ca
In Loving Memory of L. Joanne Parker
November 4, 1943 - July 27, 2023
Joanne was born in Prince George BC. The eldest of two. Joanne was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. Joanne learned bookkeeping and basic accounting in order to assist her husband in his trucking endeavors. Later she worked at Olson’s Animal hospital as office manager and assistant where she took joy in helping animals and injured wildlife that occasionally arrived. After a few years, Joanne obtained a position at Prince George Regional Hospital where she enjoyed a career in Human resources until her retirement. Joanne loved the outdoors and all the natural splendors that contrive with it. Joanne also took great joy in her grandchildren, and often enjoyed participating in games with them. Joanne is survived by her children; Wesley and Kelly. Grandchildren; Ashley, Jordan, Hannah, Hadley, Riley, Roewyn and Kelly Jo and great grandchildren, Luna and Jordon. Daughters in law Mary and Candace, nephew Eric and nieces Jackie and Melanie. Joanne is predeceased by husband Wayne and son Clinton, brother Keith and parents Eric and Marjorie Lytle. The family wishes to sincerely thank everyone for their support and love through these difficult times. A memorial service will be held on August 11, 2023 at First Baptist Church in Prince George at 1 pm.
GERVAIS, STEPHEN
July 29, 1963 - July 14, 2023
It is with heavy hearts that we share with you the passing of our brother, Stephen Gervais. Steve is joining in heaven our father Emile Gervais and Anne Gervais. Also, his best friends Lance Morgan and Robin Mawhinney. Steve was a gentle giant with few words, and when he had something to say, the words always preceded and ended with a giggle. His best trait. An avid musician and a good Christian. Steve was devoted to his church and its congregation at the First Baptist Church in Prince George. The family would like to thank his church family for keeping him in their safe place for all these years. With special mention to the Morgan family, we thank you so much.
Please join us in celebrating Steve’s life on August 12, 2023, at the First Baptist Church at 1pm, 483 Gillette St. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Canadian Mental Health Association in his name. Without their programs, Steve’s life would not have been the full life it was.
In loving memory of Peter “Joe” Faesen
Peter “Joe” Faesen of Kamloops, BC, passed away on July 24th, 2023 at 97 years of age. He is sur vived by his daughter Willy (Gerr y) Blackmore of Kamloops, BC, and son Heinie (Pam) Faesen of Prince George, BC, as well as his grandchildren David (Kyleen), Stephen (Michelle), Kerr y Ann and Jeffrey, as well as great-grandchildren Branden (Sierra), Megan ( Tom), Kyan, Mya, Sydney and Kiley, and many relatives in Holland Joe was predeceased by his wife Lena in 2004, his son Theo in 1965, his mother and father, and both sisters
Joe was born in Brunssum, Holland, in 1926, and immigrated to Canada in 1958 with his wife Lena and 3 young children where he made a good life for his family Joe worked at many things and ended up with an amazing career in the Hotel/Motel business that took him to live and travel all over BC
Joe retired to Kamloops in his 70’s where he enjoyed gardening, fishing, and hunting His love for travel took him around the world and even in his later years went back to visit Holland and enjoyed an Alaskan Cruise
The family would like to extend a special thank you to Dr Dickinson and to those at Overlander Care home for the amazing care, compassion and respect shown to my father
A Celebration of Joe’s Life will take place at 12:00pm on Saturday, August 12th, 2023, at the Delta Hotel in Kamloops, BC
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Mills/Equipment
Established Franchise Photography Business Serving Northern B.C for over 35 years
Gross Revenues of $150.000 plus annually from seasonal work
Lots of opportunity to expand the business.
Transition support available to the right buyer
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Dunk ley Lumber Ltd operates a modern and efficient sawmill and planermill facility at Strathnaver, 75 k m south of Prince George, BC. We produce high quality lumber produc ts that are sold across Nor th America and in overseas markets Please visit our website at www.dunkleylumber.com for more information about our company.
We currently have an opening for a Maintenance Supervisor. Key responsibilities include providing super vision and technical training for shift personnel, identifying oppor tunities for improvement and ensuring the highest standard of work place safety at all times
The ideal candidate will possess the following technical sk ills and experience:
• Journeyperson cer tification as a Red Seal Millwright or relevant experience
• Super visor y experience in a sawmill environment
• Strong analytical troubleshooting sk ills with the ability to multitask under time constraints
• Effec tive leadership sk ills with the ability to manage a team
• Strong ability to coach and train others
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication sk ills
• A strong commitment to safety
This position offers a highly competitive wage and benefits program and rewarding oppor tunities to grow along with an industr y-leading company.
If you possess the noted qualifications and are interested in joining our company, please submit your resume via fax or email to the attention of :
HR Coordinator
Email: hr@dunkleylumber.com
All applications will be treated in stric t confidence.
We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an inter view will be contacted
The Prince George Citizen is currently recruiting for full-time Local Journalism Initiative Reporter. In this position, the successful candidate will explore indigenous and rural issues throughout the region. Previous journalism experience/education is preferred. This role will run until March 31, 2024, with an opportunity to be extended.
Interested parties may send their CV to Neil Godbout, Editor-in-Chief ngodbout@pgcitizen.ca
SUDOKU
Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a Sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes.
How to make your stairs safer
Falling down a flight of stairs can lead to a serious injury. In fact, it’s the second leading cause of unintentional injuries worldwide, behind only motor vehicle accidents. To make sure the stairs in your home are safe, consider implementing the following strategies.
• Add some grip. Stairs made of wood, polished concrete or tile can be slippery. Add some tread using carpet, stair runners or rubber mats. If you prefer the look of bare stairs, there are non-slip coatings available that are simply brushed on like paint.
• Keep the light on. Make sure the lighting in your stairway is at least as bright as that of the surrounding hallways. It’s also a good idea to install nightlights so you don’t miss a step at night.
• Don’t forget handrails. If possible, install handrails on both sides of the stairs. These should extend slightly from the top and the bottom, be between 34 to 38 inches (85 to 95 centimetres) high and strong enough to withstand the weight of an adult.
• Use a gate. If there are young children or pets in your home, you may want to consider using gates around the stairs. The best ones are attached directly to the wall and don’t have any bars that can be used to climb over.
Most falls on residential staircases happen because there’s something in the way. For this reason, be sure to keep the steps clear at all times.
How to re-caulk your bathtub in five simple steps
Is the caulk around your bathtub crumbling or showing signs of unsightly mould? If so, it’s time to re-caulk! While it’s always recommended to entrust any plumbing work to a professional, repairing the caulk around your tub is a relatively simple task that you can easily do yourself. Just follow these five foolproof steps.
1. REMOVE WORN-OUT CAULK
With the help of a utility knife, make an incision in the middle of the damaged caulk to make it easier to remove. Next, use a scraper or flat-head screwdriver to scrape the remaining sealant free, if necessary.
2. CLEAN THE SURFACE
Wash the area you just finished scraping with a sponge soaked in white vinegar. Make sure to remove all traces of dirt and mould, and then use a cloth or rag to wipe down the surface. This last step is particularly important to ensure the new caulk adheres properly.
3. GET YOUR DUCT TAPE HANDY
4. APPLY THE NEW CAULK
Apply the caulk with a caulking gun, ideally in a single stroke while maintaining constant pressure. Next, dip your thumb in soapy water and go over the new caulk to make it nice and watertight.
5. REMOVE THE DUCT TAPE
Wait at least 24 hours before removing the duct tape and taking a bath. If the caulk overflowed, carefully cut away the excess with a utility knife.
Border off the area where you’ll apply the new caulk with duct tape, much like when you trim a room for painting. It might take a few extra minutes, but the final result will be much cleaner.
Relax in your
own indoor hammock
Hammocks go hand in hand with relaxation and tropical destinations. Looking to create a laid-back atmosphere inside your own home? Install one of these blissful swings in your living room, basement or dining area, and see how quickly you fall in love.
MODELS
There are several different types of hammocks. Hanging chair hammocks are the ideal choice to add a unique touch to a smaller room, while traditional hammocks with stands are perfect for larger areas like the veranda. Whether you live in a cramped apartment or spacious bungalow, you will surely find a model of hammock that suits your needs and space.
STYLES
Hammocks complement almost any style of interior decor, from Scandinavian minimalism to boho-chic — not to mention tropical, of course! For a warm Scandinavian design, install a white chair hammock in the corner of your dining room and keep a few blankets in a wicker basket close by. Alternatively, add a traditional hammock bursting with colour to your veranda and surround it with exotic-looking plants. You’ll be transported to a tropical destination every time you kick back to relax.
ACCESSORIES
Finally, use accessories to showcase your hammock and the surrounding design. Stacks of old books, piles of plush cushions or a collection of candles are all great for embellishing your cozy nook.
One of the most desired neighbourhoods in Prince George This immaculately kept home offers 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. With ground level entry it also has suite potential! Most of the lower level has been renovated with new flooring, paint and trim The master bedroom has a full ensuite and a walk-in closet.
The large, vaulted ceiling living room boasts amazing sunlight and with views of Moriarty Park it feels very private. The wrap around deck is great for entertaining or morning coffee, whichever you prefer Double garage with lots of storage and concrete driveway allow for ample parking. This home is a must see to fully appreciate.
A guide to choosing the right paint finish
Do you want to repaint one or more rooms in your home? When choosing paint, the finish is just as important as the colour. Here are some things to consider when choosing a matte, satin, velvet or semi-gloss finish.
WHAT ARE PAINT FINISHES?
The term finish indicates how the paint will look on the painted surface and how much light it’ll reflect. Finish designations like velvet, platinum, satin and pearl vary from one paint manufacturer to another. It’s therefore essential to ask about the sheen of the product before making your choice. Here are the most suitable finishes for the different rooms and surfaces in your home:
• Ceilings. Matte finish is most suitable for ceilings. If applied evenly, it can hide imperfections.
• Livingroom/bedrooms. Consider matte and satin finishes for consistent and elegant results. Keep in mind that matte finishes aren’t as easy to clean. For easy cleaning, pearl and semi-gloss finishes are more suitable options.
• Bathrooms & kitchens. Shiny and glossy finishes are best for high-maintenance rooms that require moisture resistance. For areas that need occasional
polishing, choose a semi-gloss finish.
• Woodwork. Velvet, satin, semi-gloss and gloss finishes are suitable for woodwork and mouldings. The same goes for doors. However, it’s best to choose a finish that’s easy to clean.
Visit a paint retailer in your area to stock up for your next project.
HOMES
Are you familiar with smart lighting?
Smart light bulbs are an absolute musthave for anybody who wishes to maximize their home’s lighting potential. These LED bulbs can be controlled directly from your smartphone or tablet, which means you can remotely turn them on or off.
Smart light bulbs connect to your electronic devices via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Thanks to a user-friendly app, you can adjust the brightness and hue of your any room’s
lighting as you see fit.
Furthermore, it’s also possible to program your smart bulbs to light up at a pre-determined time. If you’re always out and about, or if you’re on vacation, you can program your lights to turn on and off at predetermined times to give the impression that someone is home and thereby discourage intruders.
Smart light bulbs can be turned on and off remotely with the help of your smartphone or tablet.
Your home’s soffits and fascia boards protect your attic and roof from water infiltration and keep pests out. Here are four signs it’s time to have yours repaired or replaced.
1. The paint is peeling or flaking. Once the paint on your soffits and fascia begins to deteriorate, it creates an opening for moisture to permeate the boards. This can result in water damage to the roof, interior walls and siding.
2. The gutters are loose. The soffit and fascia boards act as the support system for your gutters. Consequently, if you notice your gutters are wobbly and unsteady, the fascia or soffits likely require repair.
3. Pests are hanging around your home. Your soffits and fascia boards are designed to keep rodents, bugs and other small critters from getting into your home. Therefore, bite marks, nesting materials or droppings in your home’s attic often indicate that your soffits and fascia must be repaired.
4. There’s little to no ventilation. Soffits provide ventilation and prevent condensation in your attic. If you notice that your home seems stuffy, your soffits are probably blocked or damaged. Contact a local roofing contractor to inspect your soffits and fascia and make any necessary repairs.
